So, DC came out with another movie. What did they do wrong now?

I'm not saying "Suicide Squad" is a perfect movie — far from it. In fact, I think the movie had some of the most clearly incompetent editing that I've seen in any superhero movie in the past decade, even if it wasn't wholesale awful.

But this didn't ruin the movie for me. This is because while that one criticism must necessarily permeate the rest of the film's parts, I still say "Suicide Squad" presents an altogether palatable whole. However, the part that arguably shined the brightest was Margot Robbie's Dr. Harleen "Harley Quinn" Quinnzel.

For those of you who are unaware of this character's history, Harley Quinn is most often seen as the Joker's top henchmen/abused-in-almost-every-possible-way lover. Originally conceived in "Batman: The Animated Series" as a psychiatrist assigned to treat the Joker in Arkham Asylum, she was manipulated into becoming his partner while uncovering some sociopathic tendencies of her own.

But the real question is this: how does David Ayer handle bringing such a popular character into live-action? Pretty amazingly, for my money. But in order for me to talk about what I liked about Robbie's portrayal so much, I find it more efficient to address criticisms of her portrayal.

DISCLAIMER: This does not mean that these criticisms are without merit or mean you are a bad person for having them if you do.

1. "Her outfit is too skimpy."

Look, what is and is not 'too' revealing is a matter of personal taste, and I'm not here to police yours. But for people who called Harley's outfit 'jerk-off material' ... I can only assume you're not entirely familiar with comic books as a medium. Particularly in the realm of depicting women.

That first outfit on the character Starfire premiered in 2011 *face-palm.* As far as I'm concerned, Robbie might as well be wearing a habit.

2. "The camera objectifies her."

I'm no cinematographer, but I have to disagree with that statement. The camera certainly views Harley as a sexual being, but it's treatment of her is probably above average for this genre.

Critics have said that Robbie's butt is all over this movie, but I only counted four shots with her butt clearly in frame; two of which were wider range group shots with other action in the frame, and only one that only featured her butt without showing her face.

In fact, the only time the camera pans over body like a leer is when she changes outfits in public, showing only part of her bra and stomach, and is played for comedy at the expense of the other characters (and by extension the audience) watching her.

Again, not perfect (I certainly could have missed others), but not too egregious for me. My pearls remain un-clutched.

3. "The film romanticizes her relationship with the Joker."

My answer to this criticism begins with a concession: I'm as horrified as anyone by the sheer number of younger viewers (mainly girls) who walked out of the film seeing Harley and the Joker's dynamic as #goals. However, I don't think this is the film's fault.

Many feminists took up arms under this banner because news leaked of several deleted scenes explicitly showcasing the Joker's physical abuse and then sweet-talking Harley into forgiving him. This is classic domestic abuse behavior and would arguably shatter any rose-colored glasses worn by audience members.

I for one am glad these scenes never made it to the final cut. I'm so sick of watching women battered by men and that being their motivation for a character arc.

Ayer wisely took a cue from Marvel's "Jessica Jones" and let the characters explicitly state their harmful intentions and the effects without making the audience suffer through the trauma. In doing so, the plot seems less exploitative and lets the female character control the narrative.

However, it's important to remember that this is the beginning of Harley's story. It would make sense that her flashbacks would highlight the 'good' (and I use the term loosely) parts of the Joker while blocking out the 'bad.'

There's a lot in Robbie's performance and the screenplay itself that hints at Harley maintaining desires outside of the Joker while also hinting that 'Harley Quinn' might be one great coping mechanism for Harleen. This would go a long way in depicting how bits of a victim's identity is maintained even while in an abusive relationship even while their mentality is twisted to their abuser's needs.

Something about Harley Quinn has always captured an audience's attention: alien yet relatable, tragic if not capable of redemption. She was never going to be a good guy — but that doesn't mean we don't hope for her well-being. A paradox that's worth exploring and Ayer has started us down that path.